Tema Oil Refinery creates 1,657 jobs, engages over 6,500 workers – Edmond Kombat
The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has created 1,657 permanent and temporary jobs as part of its recovery efforts, with more than 6,500 additional indirect and temporary workers engaged during turnaround maintenance works, Managing Director Edmond Kombat has disclosed.
Mr. Kombat made the disclosure at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, October 26, 2026, highlighting the employment opportunities generated by the refinery’s restoration and renewed operations.
According to him, the recovery programme has supported both direct employment at the refinery and jobs created through local contractors involved in the maintenance and rehabilitation of its facilities.
“TOR’s recovery has created 1,657 permanent and temporary jobs,” Mr. Kombat said.
He added that local contractors working at the refinery had also provided employment opportunities for hundreds of workers.
Mr. Kombat disclosed that 35 local contractors had employed an additional 654 workers, while thousands more were engaged during the turnaround maintenance exercise.
“In effect, direct employment for 1,657 Young Ghanaian Engineers, and more than 6,500 indirect and temporary workers were engaged during the turnaround works,” he stated.
The employment figures come as the state-owned refinery works to rebuild its operations following the resumption of crude processing on December 19, 2025, after nearly five years of inactivity.
Established in 1963, the Tema Oil Refinery is Ghana’s first major oil refinery and has historically played a significant role in the country’s petroleum industry.
However, the facility has faced prolonged operational and financial challenges. Its Crude Distillation Unit had been out of operation since April 2021 before processing resumed in December 2025.
The refinery’s recovery programme has focused on restoring critical processing facilities, improving operational efficiency and strengthening its financial and commercial position.
The facility has also been at the centre of previous discussions about privatisation and the involvement of strategic investors, including proposals pursued under earlier governments.
Beyond restoring refining operations, Mr. Kombat outlined measures introduced by management to improve staff welfare and workplace efficiency.
These include reviewing more than 300 promotion petitions and implementing a salary increase of approximately 10 per cent.
Management has also extended operating hours at the loading gantry to facilitate petroleum product loading and improve the use of the facility.
Other measures include strengthening cash management and accountability in product handling, as well as attracting private petroleum companies and regional partners to resume storing and lifting petroleum products at the refinery.
According to management, these interventions are intended to improve commercial activity and support the refinery’s broader recovery programme.
TOR management has also indicated that the restoration of the crude processing unit was financed with internally generated funds, without external financing.
The approach forms part of efforts to revive the refinery while improving its financial position and reducing reliance on external funding.
The refinery is also pursuing further rehabilitation and expansion projects to improve its processing capacity and operational reliability.
Key projects include work on the F-61 furnace, maintenance of the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC), installation of a 120-tonne boiler and upgrades to the refinery’s process-control system.
These projects are expected to support the continued rehabilitation of critical infrastructure as management works to sustain crude processing and improve the facility’s performance.
The latest employment figures highlight the potential impact of TOR’s restoration efforts beyond the refinery’s direct workforce, particularly through local contractors and temporary workers involved in maintenance activities.
The engagement of 35 local contractors and the reported employment of 654 additional workers also point to the role of domestic businesses in supporting the refinery’s operations.
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